Fruitful fruits! Fruits to stay healthy and fit!!!

A good mother ensures that her children eat well-balanced meals and get the essential energy for, their bodies to work in full capacity. Choosing a healthy, nutritious diet is often a challenge for mothers, but did you know fruits are highly nutritious and contain a lot of natural minerals and vitamins? Fruits are instant energy booster and help quench thirst they often leave you feeling refreshed. Fruits are found in plenty all over the world, specially tropical countries have wide varieties of fruit. Did you know a bowl of fruit salad takes only thirty minutes for digestion? While other food takes anywhere between eight to ten hours.

What does fruit contain?

As our body needs the right amount of water, eating a good amount of fruits on a regular basis gives us the needed water as fruit contains 80% water.

Fruit contains natural sugar called sucrose, which is a carbohydrate; this provides the necessary glucose. Glucose mixed with of oxygen provides us instant energy, which is very essential.

Fruit also contains minerals, vitamins, amino acids and proteins; these are needed for our bodies to perform in full capacity.

Advantages of eating fruit:

Fruits help create a positive effect as they give you the required energy.

Fruits are a good source of antioxidants; as antioxidants slow down process of oxidation, oxidation is the process often leads to cell damage. Antioxidants protect cells from cell damage caused by free radicals.

Did you know fruits help slow aging process? As they contain antioxidants; antioxidants slow or stop free radicals from destroying your cells.

Since fruit is fat free it can be had in plenty without worrying about the quantity.

As fruits are low in calories you do not have to worry about losing those calories.

Fruits are easy to digest, hence are less stressful for the digestive system.

Fresh fruit keeps you refreshed; try drinking a glass of fresh orange juice in the morning.

Fresh fruit helps in detoxifying and keeps your weight in control.

Fruit contains a good amount of fiber, which prevents constipation and bowel irritations.

Fruits help stimulate functions of the brain and give you a new renewed way to start your day.

Try eating a big bowl of fruit salad before a test; it helps improve memory and regain information.

As fruit is naturally grown, it can be eaten raw, you do not have to wait for it to be cooked, just wash it thoroughly and eat.

How much fruit is good?

Try eating two to four servings a day.

USDA food pyramid recommends eating at least five servings of fruit per day.

When is the best time to eat fruit?

Do not eat fruit as a dessert.

Fruit can be eaten in between meals as a snack.

Once you have had fruit give at least an hour after having fruit, before you have your meals.

Ideally eat fruit before meals.

If you want to have fruit after meals wait for at least two to three hours.

Every time you feel like having a snack replace it with a pear, a Banana or some grapes see what a difference it makes in your life.

Different ways of adding fruit in your healthy diet:

Cut different types of fruit and add in a bowl add a little chat masala and serve.

Dice one peach, one mango, some strawberries and a small banana in yogurt, chill and serve.

Add grapes in your yogurt and make grapes raita.

While making oatmeal for evening snack or for breakfast add apples, bananas, pear grapes and serve.

Cut different types of melon using small scoping spoon, chill and serve.

Make a nice banana, mango smoothie. For your kids once they are home from school.

Make a chickoo shake for your family for breakfast.

Cut a kiwi, and add some strawberries with little cornflakes for breakfast.

Encourage eating fruits at home and come up with different ideas to serve fruits, mix it, slice it, drink juice or simply cut it. Fruits are found in different colors and taste wonderful, try adding colorful fruits in your daily nutritious diet and enjoy!